We Have Only Today
by mgowriter
Summary: What could have happened if Joel didn't reach the operating room in time, and the doctors already performed surgery on Ellie.
1. Chapter 1

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin."  
― Mother Theresa

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The sound of stainless steel sliding against the sharpening stone was familiar and soothing to Ellie. The stiletto style switchblade she held in her hand had saved her life countless times, and she never failed to keep its edge razor sharp.

Footsteps approached from outside her tent. She tightened her grip around the knife, but relaxed at the sight of the intruder.

"How did the recon go?" she asked Mara, her most trusted soldier. "Is everyone back?"

"We got a live one," Mara replied.

"Firefly?" Ellie asked.

Mara shook her head.

"Hunter?"

"You'd better come see for yourself," she replied.

They walked quickly to the other side of camp, entering another tent guarded by two men. The prisoner knelt alongside the back of the tent, his head covered with a black hood.

"I saw him first," Noah said as she walked in. "So it counts on my record."

"Who had to save you when he was choking you to death?" Mara asked.

Noah gave her a dirty look.

"Half a point each," said Ellie, breaking up the tension.

The prisoner raised his head at the sound of her voice.

"Where did you find him?"

"By the river, about two miles out," said Noah. "He didn't have much on him."

The prisoner began to struggle against his constraints. His words were muffled by the rag bound around his mouth.

Ellie motioned for the hood to be removed. A man with rugged features appeared from underneath. His grey hair put him somewhere in his late fifties. A deep scar ran down the right side of his neck.

The prisoner's eyes widened as he locked onto Ellie. He tried to move towards her as he spoke rapidly into the rag, but was pulled back by the rope that tied him to an anchor in the ground.

Ellie looked at her companions, who both shrugged in response.

She motioned for the mouthpiece to be removed.

"Ellie!" was the first word out of his mouth. "Ellie, you're alive! How?"

She stepped back with surprise, studying the stranger. "How do you know my name?"

The man looked at her with confusion. "Ellie, it's me, Joel. What happened in Salt Lake City? I saw you…I thought—"

"You know this guy, boss?" Noah asked.

Ellie shook her head.

"You think he's been tracking us?" Mara interjected.

She turned her attention to her friend. "Let's play it safe either way. Make sure he stays quiet."

"Ellie, wait!" Joel's voice followed her out of the tent, before he was forcefully silenced.

She turned to Mara. "Get some sleep. We'll interrogate him in the morning."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

She was trapped in another nightmare. The people surrounding her wore blank, uniform faces. They spoke, but no sounds escaped. They reached for her, at first gently, then with more aggression when she failed to understand what they wanted. A pair of hands grabbed her by the collar, yanking her upwards.

Ellie opened her eyes and instantly knew she was no longer dreaming. The hot, rancid breath of her attacker permeated the space around her. She instinctively reached for the switchblade underneath her pillow, opening it in the same motion. The sharpened blade entered the attacker's neck a second later, spilling his blood onto her arm. He made a gurgling sound as they both fell back onto her cot. Ellie pushed him onto the floor, noting the rifle on his back. A shot fired outside her tent, prompting her to crouch down. Bandits.

Chaos reigned outside the tent. Her crew fought against a group of bandits that outnumbered them two to one. A bullet whizzed by her right shoulder as she made her way toward the center of camp. She ducked the opposite way, only to feel the burning heat from a tent that had been set on fire.

Someone grabbed her from behind. She turned quickly, to see panic in Mara's eyes.

"They're everywhere," she said. "We have to go. Now."

Ellie nodded. Together they ran into the woods, away from the screams and gunshots. They blindly ventured into the darkness, unable to see anything in front of them in the nearly moonless night. Unseen branches and leaves cut into their skin, but they didn't dare stop. They ran until Ellie tripped on a large branch and fell down with a loud thud. She began to roll and didn't stop until she reached the end of a deep gully. An immediate pain shot through her ankle.

_Shit_, she thought, as she sat up. She looked up in the direction that she came from, but saw only darkness.

"Mara?" She whispered, listening for any sign of her friend.

"Mara?" She called again, louder this time.

The dead leaves on the ground rustled behind her. She turned, too late. The intruder was on her in a flash, silencing her with his hand.

"How did you escape the raid?" An unfamiliar voice sounded in her ear. She thrust her elbow into her attacker's chest, catching him by surprise.

"Mara, run!" She yelled into the darkness.

Recovering quickly, the attacker seized her from behind.

"That was a mistake," he said as a colder tone seeped into his voice. "A girl like you, out here alone…" He forced her hands behind her and his body closer to hers "…ought to think before she acts."

He tied her hands with a zip tie, then roughly felt around her body until he reached her breasts. "Or else there can be consequences."

He made sure her mouth was still covered before feeling down towards her crotch. Ellie dug her good foot into the ground and pushed back with all of her strength. The attacker held on. She lowered her head in a moment of mock submission, before heaving it back up to head-butt him. He dodged her attack at the last second and threw her to the ground.

"Now you've made me mad, girl." The clouds had thinned above, revealing a sliver of moon that illuminated half of his face. He ripped her shirt open with force, his cold stare never leaving her eyes. Ellie continued to struggle as he unbuckled her belt, and slid his hand underneath her pants.

"You son of a bitch," she spat as she continued to struggle against his hold.

"Don't fight it," he said. "You're just making it hard—"

The attacker never finished his sentence. A knife plunged into the back of his neck, severing his spine and vocal cords at the same time. He made a choking sound before being pushed to the ground.

Ellie's first instinct was to run. She managed to stand half way up before she took a step on her ankle and fell back down in pain.

"Ellie," another voice sounded behind her. "Are you okay?" She flinched at the touch of her arm.

"Get the fuck away from me," she said, trying to rise again.

"Ellie, it's me."

She turned back. It was the prisoner. There was just enough light to make out his features.

"Are you okay?" he asked again.

She stared at him, aware of the state of undress she was in.

"I'm going to cut you loose, okay?" He motioned to her hands.

She nodded, keeping her eyes on him. He approached slowly, with the same hunting knife that had just killed her attacker. He cut the zip tie in one swift motion, releasing the circulation back into her hands.

Ellie immediately buttoned her pants and wrapped the two sides of her shirt around her, aware that the buttons had popped off during the attack. She had nothing but her bra on underneath.

She stiffened when he began unbuttoning his own shirt. "Take mine," he said hastily. He took it off and handed it to her. "We have to get out of here. The rest of the group will be back soon."

She hesitated before taking the shirt. He turned to face away from her and she quickly switched clothing. The shirt was still warm, the arms much too long for her. She adjusted the collar around her neck, noting the scent embedded in the cloth. His scent. It was strangely familiar.

"Are you good?" he asked, still turned away.

"Yeah," she replied, standing up.

He turned and saw her favor her left foot. "What happened?"

"I think it's sprained," she said. "I can't put weight on it."

"Wait here." He was gone for a minute before reappearing with a large, waist-high stick. "This should help. You can lean on me for support."

She held up her hand at his approach. "I'm fine."

He looked as if he was going to say something, but let the subject drop. "We have to get out of here. We don't have much time."

"My friend Mara was with me. We were separated."

The prisoner averted his eyes to the ground. "She didn't make it. I saw her body at the top of the tree line."

Ellie looked up at the steep slope she slid down. There was no sign of any movement. "How do I know you're not lying? You could be one of them. You could've played us all along."

"You really don't remember me?" he said, searching her eyes.

"No," she said flatly.

A brief look of sadness deepened in his eyes. They blinked in alertness as sounds of laughter floated down from above.

The prisoner placed his index finger up to his mouth, motioning for silence.

"You're gonna have to trust me," he whispered next to her. "Or we both die."

Seeing no other choice, Ellie dug the makeshift walking stick into the earth and followed him as quickly as she could manage. After a long walk, they finally arrived at a small clearing by the river.

"My camp," he said by way of explanation. "We're far enough away that we'll be safe for the night, as long as we don't make a fire. You take the tent. I'll take first watch."

She stared at him, deciding her next step.

"No sense in us both being awake," he said. "I'll wake you in a few hours."

The walk had taken it out of her. Ellie nodded consent and entered the tent, if only to get off her feet. There was no way she would let him catch her sleeping. She felt the cool handle of the switchblade in her pocket. The prisoner was stronger, but in close quarters, she would be faster. She could kill him if she had to.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ellie woke with a start. It was daylight outside. _Shit_. She fell asleep.

Her ankle immediately throbbed with pain. She sat up and pulled down her sock. It had swollen to twice its size overnight. A purple bruise began to form on the surface of the skin. _Fuck_.

She grabbed the walking stick and stood up with effort. The prisoner looked up from his breakfast when she emerged.

"Morning," he said.

Ellie hobbled outside. "I thought you were going to wake me for second watch," she said.

"You looked like you needed the sleep more than I did," he replied. "How's your ankle?"

"It's fine," she said, lowering herself gingerly onto the ground. The prisoner handed her a can of food and a bottle of pills. "Those are painkillers, and a cold breakfast, I'm afraid. I still don't want to risk starting a fire."

Ellie studied the unlabeled bottle wearily, but popped two pills and dry swallowed them anyway. If he wanted to kill her, he would've done it last night.

"What did you say your name was?" she asked.

"Joel," the man replied.

_Joel_. She searched her memory. The name was as foreign to her as it was last night.

"And how do you know me?"

He studied her for a moment. "Do you want the long version or the short?"

"You pick," she replied.

"I was hired to take you to a research lab in Salt Lake City. From Boston."

"Why?" Ellie asked.

"Because you're immune. They were trying to make a vaccine." She was startled by his answer. Only a handful of people knew she had been bitten by a clicker but hadn't turned. Most of that handful had died last night.

"The bite is on your right forearm, just above the wrist," he continued. "You and your friend were both bitten. She died. You didn't."

Ellie absently touched her forearm. The only person she had every told that story to was her friend Max, who died more than a year ago. How could he know?

"When did we go to Salt Lake City?" she asked.

Joel looked up for a moment as he calculated the date. "It's been twelve years now. You were fourteen at the time."

She blinked several times to process the information. "I had a…serious head injury around that time. "I fell from the roof of a building. They had to do surgery. There's a period of my life that I don't remember too much about."

Joel leaned in towards her. "Is that what Marlene told you? That you had a head injury?"

"How do you know Marlene?" she asked.

Joel shook his head in anger. "She was lying. She did this to you. They took out a part of your brain. I found you in the operating room, but I was too late. They had just taken you off of life support. I saw the surgeon place the piece of your brain into a jar. They knocked me out and dumped me outside the city. I thought you were dead. If I knew you were alive—."

"Woah woah woah," said Ellie. "What you're saying makes no sense. Yes, I almost died in surgery, but my heart started up again after they thought I was dead. Marlene wouldn't do anything to hurt me. She took care of me after the surgery. I've known her since I was a kid."

"That's bullshit," Joel said heatedly. "I saw what I saw. They were going to kill you to try to make a vaccine."

"Well I'm still alive, aren't I?" Ellie asked with anger creeping into her own voice. "So maybe you're not right about everything."

They both sat in silence.

"Look," Ellie finally said. "Thank you for saving me last night. I'll be seeing Marlene soon, and I'll ask her about you. I'm sorry that I don't remember."

"What do you mean you'll be seeing her soon?" Joel asked. "You're going back to Salt Lake City?"

"She's in Boston," said Ellie, realizing too late that she had given away too much information.

"Ellie, Marlene's not your friend. You can't trust her."

"I appreciate the concern," she said, "but it's really none of your business—"

"I'll come with you," Joel interjected.

"What?"

"Let me come with you."

"Why?" Ellie asked.

"Your ankle needs time to heal," Joel replied. "You need someone for backup in case you run into trouble."

"No, that's not an option."

"Do you remember the layout of the city?" Joel asked. "How to get past the guards? Which entry point to use?"

Ellie's blank stare confirmed his point. "I lived there for years," said Joel. "I know how to get into the quarantine zone."

"Why do you want to help me?" Ellie asked.

He looked at her with an unreadable expression. "Because I thought you were dead. Now I've been given a second chance."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The Volkswagen sedan sputtered its last breath and cruised to its final destination on the side of the highway. Ellie peered at the large exit sign above them. They were three miles from Hudson, Massachusetts.

"You okay to walk?" Joel asked from the driver's seat. She nodded. It had been almost two weeks since the night they escaped the bandits. Her ankle had more or less healed. Meanwhile, with an abundance of caution, they detoured around the larger, more populated cities on their way to Boston. They were dirty, tired, and low on supplies.

She gathered her pack and exited the car. The morning sun was a rare sight during their last few days of travel. It highlighted everything that was in bloom, from the grass to the late spring flowers, to the young leaves on the trees. Joel smiled to himself, unaware that she was watching. Ellie mirrored his expression.

"So how much further to Boston?" she asked as they set off towards Hudson.

"From here…a little less than a week on foot," Joel answered. "But we need to stop somewhere along the way first."

Her smile turned into a frown. "Where?"

"A small town called Lincoln," he replied. "If memory serves me right, there's a wildlife refuge close to here that we can camp at for the night, then it's just a day's walk to Lincoln."

"What's in Lincoln?" she asked.

"A friend," said Joel. "He'll know what's going on in Boston. We don't want to go in blind."

"Have I met him before?" Ellie asked.

"Uh huh," Joel replied.

"So he and I used to be friends too?"

Joel cleared his throat. "I wouldn't go that far, but we all got along…in the end."

. . .

The road leading up to the wildlife refuge was a picture from a nature book. Tall birch trees lined both sides, creating a quiet and protected corridor. Ellie and Joel walked in comfortable silence. She didn't know why she had chosen to trust him so quickly, breaking many of her own survival rules, but traveling together felt familiar and safe.

"No way," Ellie said, looking ahead through the leaves.

"What?" Joel asked.

"Do you see that?" She said as she began jogging ahead.

"See what?" Joel yelled behind her.

Running as fast as her ankle would allow, she shed her pack and outer shirt, caked with two weeks of grime. A clearing opened up through the trees to reveal the lake, with its calm water glistening underneath the sun. The perimeter of the lake was surrounded by trees, turning it into a private oasis for the weary traveler. She stopped at the edge of the wooden dock, grinned widely to herself, and kicked off her shoes.

"Ellie!" Joel's voice sounded in alarm behind her just before she jumped into the water. She let her limbs drop by her side and sank deeper into the water, releasing the tension from her body. Finally, after her lungs began to protest for air, she resurfaced to the sound of Joel's panicked voice. Clearing the water from her eyes, she saw him at the edge of the dock, prepared to jump in.

"Are you coming in? It's warm," she yelled up at him.

"You can swim?" he asked, the panic still in his eyes.

She backpedaled a few feet, treading water. "Of course. Can't you?"

Joel sighed, shaking his head to himself. He picked up the pack he had hastily thrown to the ground. "I'm gonna go try to find some food and set up camp."

"Suit yourself," she said to Joel's retreating figure. He didn't answer her. She didn't let that bother her, as she floated on her back and stared at the blue sky above. It was a perfect spring day.

. . .

She exited the water and collected her belongings. Finding some privacy in the nearby trees, she changed into cleaner clothes and collected her wet hair into a knot before joining him at the campsite. He had a small fire going with a skinned rabbit roasting over its flames.

"Fast work," she said, impressed by how much he had accomplished.

"This unfortunate little guy was at the campsite when I arrived," said Joel. "He was easy to catch."

The set up the rest of the camp together and collected more firewood. The scent from the cooking meat grew until both of their stomachs demanded it to be dinner time.

"Looks done," said Joel as he tested it with his knife. He removed the rabbit from the flame and began cutting into it. "You still like the leg?" he asked as he handed her the first portion of meat.

The scent of the cooked rabbit triggered a brief flash in her mind.

_She was cooking a rabbit over another, much smaller fire. They were indoors, in a garage of some sorts, with concrete underneath her. It was winter; she could see her own breath as she exhaled. She looked to her left. Joel was lying on a mattress, covered by a thin blanket. His complexion was ghostly white. _

"Ellie?" Joel asked, snapping her attention back. She looked to him with confusion. He still held the rabbit towards her. "You okay?"

She took the meat from him. "Yeah…I…I'm fine," she answered. She stared at him, unsure of what had just happened.

"Joel?"

"Hmm?" he was concentrating on cutting the rest of the meat off the rabbit.

The question hung on her lips. She hesitated, then took a bite, chewing slowly. "It's really good," she finally said.

He looked up and smiled. "Glad you like it."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

They stood at the bottom of the water tower, overlooking the small town of Lincoln. Everything was still and quiet under the morning sun. In the distance, the stained glass windows of a church glistened in the light.

"That's close to where he lives," said Joel, pointing to the church. "Stay alert when we get down there. The whole town's booby trapped."

"This guy's a little paranoid?" Ellie asked as they passed the first barbed wire fence.

"That's an understatement," Joel replied.

"How long have you known him?"

"A long time. We used to trade with him back in the day."

"We?" Ellie asked.

"My old partner and I," Joel clarified. "Come on, let's pick up the pace."

The entire town was resembled a big maze, with roadblocks and traps that funneled anyone, both living and infected, into a pre-designed route. Ellie's skin prickled as they walked carefully through a large, brick warehouse. A bird flying above drew her attention to the metal rafters. A second later, she was inside another memory.

_Joel hung upside down from a rope attached to a refrigerator that acted as a counterweight. The sounds of the infected filled her ears as they rushed closer. She was sawing at the rope that wouldn't give. Her hands were trembling and the noises grew louder. She heard a gunshot. Joel. They were on him. _

"Ellie."

She looked down at her hands. She could still feel the rope burn on her skin.

"Ellie."

She finally looked up at Joel. He stared at her with concern. "That's the second time you've done that. Tapped out."

"I—" Ellie began, unable to finish.

"Did you remember something?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said. "You were…hanging from above. There were infected everywhere."

Joel's expression softened. "That's right. I stepped into one of Bill's traps. You helped save me."

She stared at him. "How could I not remember that? "

"I don't know," said Joel. "But I'm glad you're starting to remember. I've wanted to  
talk to you about Marlene."

"What about her?"

"She's not…what you think she is. I was there with you in Salt Lake City. There's more to the story."

Ellie sighed. "I've been thinking about that a lot lately."

A faint shriek drew both of their attention to the west. Joel scanned their surroundings. "This isn't the right place. Let's find Bill, get settled in, and we'll talk later."

. . .

They finally arrived at a long, rectangular building in the middle of town. The faded "Martha's Diner" sign hung at an angle above the boarded up windows.

Joel rounded the building to the side door and tried the metal handle. To his surprise, it was unlocked. He motioned for Ellie to back up a few paces before he turned the handle and pushed the door in, leaning backwards himself in case another trap was on the other side. Nothing happened.

They entered the diner. Considering the appearance of the rest of the town, it was very well kept. The furniture was clean and dust-free. They took a cautious seat at one of the inviting booths along the wall, but both stood quickly when they heard a shuffling noise from upstairs. A few moments later, a German Shepard padded down the stairs. It stood at attention, staring straight at them.

"Joel?" Ellie asked softly, careful not to make any sudden movements.

"Just…take it easy," Joel said as he slowly stepped back.

The dog continued to stare.

"What should we do?" Ellie asked.

Joel looked around the diner. There was nothing in their vicinity that could help distract the dog. "Stay still," he said. "Let me thinking of something."

The dog tilted it head, as if asking who they were.

"Here, boy," Ellie said on a whim. She stuck out her hand and motioned for the dog.

"I hope you know what you're doing," said Joel.

"He looks harmless," she said. The dog cautiously took a few steps forward, then began to wag its tail and walked up to Ellie.

"See?" she said as she smiled and rubbed behind its ears. "Harmless."

The dog licked her hand, making her laugh. "Are you hungry, boy?"

The dog barked in answer. Ellie began digging in her backpack for some food scraps when they heard hurried footsteps coming down the stairs.

Joel aimed the only pistol they had between then at the stairway, but found himself facing a double-barreled shotgun.

"Jesus Christ," said Bill when he realized who it was. He looked between Joel and Ellie. "What the fuck are you two doing here?"

The dog left Ellie and returned to its master's side.

"Cute dog," she said to Bill.

He stared at her in disbelief, then turned his attention back to Joel. "Don't tell me. One car wasn't enough. You're back for another."

"It's good to see you, Bill," said Joel. "Been a long time."

Bill finally lowered the shotgun. "I'm gonna ask again. What the hell are you doing here? And what the hell are you still doing with her? I thought she was just a job. A drop off."

"It's a long story," said Joel.

"Long story my ass. Looks like the little witch has got you wrapped around her finger."

"Hey," Ellie said in anger.

Joel held his hand up, signaling for peace. He turned to Bill. "Bill, we've been on the road for two weeks. We're tired. We just need a place to stay for the night and some information on what's going on in Boston. We'll be out of your hair tomorrow morning."

"You said we were fucking square after the last time. I risked my life for you," said Bill.

"I did. You don't owe us anything. You help us and I'll owe you one."

Bill laughed sarcastically. "Right. And I suppose I can collect the next time we meet, in a decade or so."

"Look, asshole," Ellie interjected. "Joel thought you were a good guy. Obviously he was wrong."

"Ellie—"

"No, Joel, forget this guy. We don't need him."

"We need to know what's going on in Boston. It's too dangerous to go otherwise," Joel responded.

The dog by Bill's side whined as it sensed the tension rising in the room. It took a few tentative steps into the uneasy circle that Bill, Joel and Ellie had created.

"Heel," said Bill, pointing at the ground next to him. Out of spite, Ellie held out the granola bar she found at the bottom of her backpack. The dog came forward with his tail wagging furiously.

"I said heel," Bill repeated again, more sternly. The dog wolfed down the bar in one bite, and looked back at his master, as if to say, "Can't you see there's food here?"

"Good dog," said Ellie, as she scratched his ears. The dog licked her hand to get the last remnants of the sugary treat.

"Peanut Butter, you're a goddamn traitor," Bill said with disgust. His scowl deepened as he looked between Joel and Ellie. "One night. That's it. You're gone tomorrow morning."

"One night," Joel promised.

Bill stormed back up the stairs without looking back. Joel breathed a sigh of relief.

"What an asshole," Ellie said, still petting the dog.

Joel laughed to himself. "I can't say you guys were best friends the first time you met. Hey, did you hear what he called the dog?"

"Peanut Butter," Ellie repeated the name. The dog's ears perked up. "I'm sorry you have to be around such a horrible person." He responded by licking her cheek. Ellie laughed. "Should we take you with us when we leave?"

"Ellie," Joel warned.

"I'm just kidding," she said. "He can keep his dog."

. . .

Bill placed the steaming pot in the center of the table. Aromas of slow-cooked tomato, oregano, and basil wafted through the air.

Peanut Butter sniffed the air and whined at Bill.

"Shut it, PB," said Bill. "You've already had your dinner."

"Wow, Bill, I didn't know you were such a good cook," Joel commented as he was given a huge portion of the pasta dish.

"I was taught," said Bill. He started to say something else, but changed his mind.

"The flavors are amazing," Joel said after a few bites. "I can't say I've had anything like this in a long time. What about you, Ellie?"

"Um hmm," Ellie said into her plate, with a mouth full of pasta. She was swallowing faster than her jaws could chew.

"My old partner started a garden a long time ago," said Bill. "Fresh herbs this time of year."

He took a few bites of his dinner before pushing his plate away. "So what the hell do you want to go back to Boston for, anyway? It's a shit storm up there. There's no more FEDRA, no quarantine zone. It's a warzone between the Fireflies and Hunters."

"We're going to see Marlene," Ellie replied. "She's in charge of the Fireflies."

Bill leaned in towards her. "And why would you want to see that homicidal lunatic?"

Ellie mirrored his move. "She's my friend. And it's none of your damn business."

Bill turned to Joel. "Well she mellowed out real well over the years. How the hell have you dealt with this for so long?"

Joel sighed. "We haven't been together. We just met up two weeks ago."

"So what have you been up to this whole time?"

"I've been with my brother Tommy in Wyoming. He had a settlement there with a group of people."

"Had?" Bill asked.

"We were overrun by a large group of bandits. They killed just about everyone. Tommy, his wife, and his kids."

Silence filled the room.

"I'm sorry, Joel," said Ellie. "Did I know them?"

"What kind of question is that?" asked Bill. "You don't know if you knew them?"

Ellie turned on Bill, but Joel cut in before she said anything. "She doesn't remember some things, including you, or me for that matter."

"Wait a minute," said Bill. "The brat has memory loss?"

"Who are you calling a brat?" said Ellie.

"Sorry, I meant thief."

"Hey—"

"You're going to deny stealing my comics?" Bill asked.

Ellie paused. She wasn't sure what to say.

"Oh my God." Bill turned to Joel in disbelief. "You're taking her to go see Marlene, probably gonna get yourself killed in the process, and she doesn't even know who you are?"

"Bill—"

"This is fucking great, Joel. Tess died to deliver this kid on that job of yours, didn't she? I asked one of my Firefly informants. They saw you and her leave the city together with the kid."

"You leave Tess out of this," said Joel in a dangerous voice.

"Why should I?" asked Bill. "You weren't even man enough to tell me she was dead the last time I saw you. And for what? For this?" he motioned his hand towards Ellie. "You trade the life of _my_ friend and the most important person in your life—"

Joel slammed his fist down onto the table. "That's enough, Bill."

Bill was about the say something else, but held his tongue. Peanut Butter, who was lying on the floor, suddenly stood and turned his ears towards the side door of the diner. All three humans at the table watched him as he listened intently, then bared his teeth and growled in the same direction.

"Something's up," Bill said immediately. He crossed the room and grabbed the nearest weapon, a machete that was lying on top of the bar counter. Joel and Ellie armed themselves with their own weapons.

They stood for a few tense moments. Peanut Butter growled louder. Seconds later, a shotgun blast eviscerated the lock, and the door slammed open. Four men dressed in tactical gear entered with guns at the ready.

Bill was the first to act. He slammed his machete down onto the shoulder of the man with the shotgun, severing his arm off in one motion. Peanut Butter attacked at the same time, causing the intruder to fall.

Joel shot at another intruder, missing his target and only hitting the man's arm. He was rushed by a third man, and went down with a hard thud.

Ellie, faced with the last intruder, decided to make the first move. She rushed forward and dove low to tackle his legs, but the man narrowly escaped. He grabbed onto her shirt and pulled her roughly backwards, causing her to choke on her shirt collar. The pistol in his hand was underneath her chin a second later. As his finger closed on the trigger, he was pushed aside roughly. Bill pinned him down and sank his machete into the man's chest.

Another figure plunged his knife into Bill's thigh, causing a scream of anger. "Goddammit," Bill spat as he pushed the man off.

Ellie saw the shotgun out of the corner of her eye. She dived for it and aimed at the head of the man that had a knife directly next to Bill's throat. She pulled the trigger, and his head exploded into pieces. The sound reverberated throughout the diner, momentarily deafening her. Ellie pumped the handgrip and aimed the shotgun at another attacker. The slug hit him squarely in the chest, creating a hole the size of a fist. She turned her attention to Joel, who was kneeling on top of the last remaining attacker. His hands were wrapped around the man's neck, crushing his trachea as he gasped for his last breaths of air.

It was over in a matter of minutes. Silence, after so much chaos. Ellie's ears still rang from the shotgun. She felt Joel take the weapon from her hands.

"You're hurt," he said, pointing out a large gash on her right arm. She looked down, unaware of the cut and spiking on too much adrenaline to feel the pain.

"They're Fireflies," she said to Joel. "I saw one of their pendants. What are they looking for?"

Joel shook his head. "I don't know. They must be from Boston. It's the nearest Firefly unit."

She turned her attention to Bill, who had managed to sit up and was trying to put pressure on his wound. She knelt quickly at his side and placed her own hands on the wound.

"We need bandages," she said. "Where do you keep them?"

He motioned up the stairs. "Second room to the left." Peanut Butter whimpered at his side. "Go show them," he said to the dog. As if he understood, Peanut Butter led Joel towards the stairs.

"You saved my life," Bill said to Ellie in disbelief.

"You saved mine," she replied. "It was them or us."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Ellie looked up from the map she was studying when she heard Joel enter the room. Peanut Butter, who had his head in her lap, stared sleepily up at him.

"That dog has really taken a liking to you," said Joel.

Ellie placed a hand on PB's head, scratching his ears. "He's a good boy, isn't he?"

PB wagged his tail. Ellie looked back a Joel. "How's Bill?"

"He'll live," said Joel. "The leg is healing, but will take a couple of weeks to mend fully. He offered to get us into the city."

Ellie expression disclosed her surprise.

"I know," said Joel. "It's very un-Bill-like, but we should take him up on it. It'll be much safer." Joel set the backpack he was carrying down onto the floor. "He also stocked us up with some weapons." He pulled out two pistols with metal cylindrical tubes attached.

Ellie's attention perked up. "Are those silencers?"

Joel nodded. "Hard to come by these days. I'm surprised he let us have them."

"So he's not a heartless curmudgeon after all."  
Joel continued to rummage through the bag, pulling out a crossbow and machete. "These are for the road," he said as he handed her the long knife.

Ellie studied the blade of the meticulously sharpened machete as it gleamed in the sunlight coming through the window. The flood of a new memory surfaced into her consciousness.

_She was on the floor, crawling towards another machete just out of reach. Someone kicked her in the ribs, hard. The pain seared through her body. He kicked again, in the same spot. She had to reach it. The building was burning down around her, and he was on her, choking her. She finally closed her hand around the handle and swung it wildly behind her. It caught on his arm. She attacked again, this time digging the blade into his skull. Again, the blood splattering onto her face. Again, the sound of bone crushing underneath her. Again._

She jumped at Joel's words, her breathing fast and ragged. The machete dropped from her hand, startling both herself and Peanut Butter.

"Ellie, are you okay?" His worried eyes came back into focus. She carefully touched his arm, remembering the safety of his embrace. "What is it?" he asked.

"I just remembered…David. The cannibals."

Joel sighed deeply. "That was one memory I hoped you would never recover."

She turned to him, knowing what she had sensed all along. She could trust him. "Joel, tell me about Marlene."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Bill stopped at a good distance from the outpost, behind the cover of two large elm trees. He pointed to the two men standing guard.

"This is the closest outpost to the hospital, and those are Fireflies guarding it," he said to Joel and Ellie. "You two better be sure you want to do this, especially after knowing what Marlene's been up to." He looked pointedly at Ellie. "Cause it's probably a suicide trip."

Ellie turned to Joel. "I have to see for myself. If she's harming people, we have to stop her."

"I'm with you," said Joel.

Bill muttered something underneath his breath. "Don't expect me to be waiting here to carry your sorry corpses back," he said aloud.

Joel placed his hand on Bill's shoulder. "You've done enough. Thank you for helping us."

Bill shook his head, and began pulling out a piece of rope from his backpack. "Here goes nothing."

. . .

Bill approached the guard station firmly gripping the rope that bound both the wrists of Joel and Ellie.

"Stop right there," one of the guards said as they neared. He raised his automatic rifle.

"He's cool," the other guard said to his partner. "I've seen him around a couple of times. He's a trader."

"I've got something Marlene's gonna want to see," said Bill.

"What's that?" the first guard asked.

"These two are immune. I heard she's paying top product for people like them."

The guard refused to relax his rifle. "We're supposed to just take your word for that?"

Bill looked at Ellie. He grabbed her right shirt sleeve and lifted it up to reveal the bite that had long healed.

The second guard came closer for a look. "Damn. I've never seen one myself before."

"And him?" the original guard nodded towards Joel.

"He was bit in a less fortunate area," Bill replied. "If you want to examine him, go ahead."

The guard nearest them shook his head. "Nah, that's not our job," he said. "They need to do some testing at the hospital. If they pass, then you get your weapons. An automatic rifle for each one."

Bill whistled under his breath. "So when do I claim the prize?"

"Twenty-four hours."

"They're all yours," said Bill. He handed over the rope and gave Joel a meaningful look before turning away.

. . .

The hospital bordered the outskirts of the city. Joel and Ellie were taken to a side entrance that had four men posted outside. Additional guards were stationed around the entire perimeter of the building.

Once inside, they were lead to a procedure room retrofitted into a holding cell. Their constraints were finally removed, and they were told to wait for the nurse.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Ellie asked Joel.

"They're going to search us, then probably take some blood. They'll know soon enough that I'm not immune."

"We can't let that happen," said Ellie.

"Here's the plan," said Joel, lowering his voice. "We stay close to the door, on opposite sides. When the next person comes in, you take them down and I'll take the guard outside. Make it quiet."

Ellie nodded. They didn't have to wait long before hearing footsteps approach.

"Ready?" Joel said as he positioned himself. Ellie nodded. She slid her hand onto the handle of the pistol hidden inside her jacket.

The footsteps neared until someone rounded the corner. Both Joel and Ellie blinked back looks of surprise behind the iron bars. It was Marlene. She was staring down at a clipboard.

"Two new ones?" she asked the guard before looking up. Her features fixated into a similar look of shock.

"Ellie," she said, staring between her and Joel. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you," Ellie replied, thinking quickly to spin a lie. "I heard you were still looking for a cure. I want to help."

Marlene considered her words. "What are you doing with him?" she looked at Joel.

"He says his name is Joel," Ellie continued. "We bumped into each other outside the city. He helped me with some trouble I had with a group of clickers."

"You don't remember him?" Marlene asked.

Ellie shook her head. "Now I'm really starting to feel paranoid, because he says he knew me from back in Salt Lake City." She turned her features into a look of confusion. "Marlene, is there something I should know about my accident?"

Marlene folded her arms and stared at Ellie. Finally, after a minute, she broke eye contact and motioned to the guard. "Let the girl out. Bring the other one to the end of the hall."

"Wait," said Ellie. "Where are you bringing me?"

"I want to show you something," said Marlene.

"What about him?" Ellie motioned back towards Joel.

"He'll be fine. We have a lot to catch up on."

Ellie forced herself to refrain from looking back at Joel under Marlene's watchful eye. She followed her down the hall, into the elevator, and descended towards the lower levels of the hospital.

. . .

Everything was dimly lit by red emergency lights at floor level. As they walked down the hallway, each door they passed had a guard posted outside.

"I've been trying to synthesize a vaccine for almost two decades," Marlene said as she walked ahead of Ellie. "We've tried everything, from gene splicing to viral infections to…live dissection." She looked back at Ellie. "Nothing has worked."

The intensity in Marlene's eyes was unsettling. Ellie followed her through a door that simply read, "Laboratory." It was a large space inside, with a stainless steel dissection table in one corner and rows of metal shelves lining most of the room.

Marlene walked down a row of shelving, touching the glass jars as she passed. "Naturally, we've saved a lot of our work, in case we need to revisit them in the future."

Ellie gasped involuntarily. Many of the jars contained fetuses at different stages of development, floating in preservative fluid. Others housed pieces of tissue labeled with the organs they came from.

"You're infecting unborn children?" she said in disbelief. "Why?"

"One of our scientists wanted to test out a theory. Unfortunately, it didn't pan out."

"Marlene—"

"I know how this looks, Ellie. But you don't understand. _Most_ people don't understand. To find a vaccine means sacrifice. Anything worth having requires sacrifice. We'll find it. It's just a matter of time."

Marlene led her further down the shelves of horror, out of the laboratory and into the adjacent room. Ellie found herself in another dimly lit space, this one with cement floors and large animal cages along the perimeter. Something moved in the corner of her eye. She bent down to see a boy of about six years old inside one of the cages. His bright, sad eyes looked away as soon as their gazes met. He cowered further into the back of his cage.

Her gaze shifted to the other cages. Almost all of the cages were filled with people, men, women, and children of all ages.

"What is this?" she asked Marlene.

"A holding room."

"A holding room for what?"

An inhuman shriek snapped Ellie's gaze toward the direction towards the door. Marlene remained unfazed by the sound.

"We need to test our working samples of the vaccine."

Ellie stared at the cages in horror. "You're deliberately infecting these people? You're fucking insane. You've lost it."

Marlene smiled at her, giving Ellie goosebumps throughout her body. "You don't know how timely your arrival is," she said. "We haven't had an immune in months. We're right on the cusp of a discovery, I can feel it. You've been sent here to help us."

Ellie began to back away from Marlene. Two guards immediately seized her by the arms. She hadn't noticed them lingering in the shadows.

"Get the fuck off me," she said as she struggled against her captors.

"Oh Ellie, don't you realize?" Marlene asked. "You could be our savior. You'll be worshipped for generations to come."

"You're fucking psycho," Ellis said as she continued to struggle.

An alarm suddenly blared at from a speaker above them. "Code red, code red, code red," a female voice said over the alarm.

Ellie took the opportunity to break her right arm free. She grabbed the knife from her pocket and jabbed it into the guard's forearm. Kicking the other guard in the leg, she broke free and ran for her life.

The hallway was blanketed in flashing red lights, disorienting her for a moment. She saw a sign for the stairs at the end of the hall, and ran towards it. There was no one in the stairway. The alarm continued to shriek. It must be Joel. He got free. Where would he go? On a gut feeling, she began scaling the stairs two at a time. After three flights, she shot into the hallway of a different floor. The sign above the door read B2.

Hearing commotion in the stairs below her, Ellie raced toward the opposite end of the hallway, turned the corner, and disappeared into a new stairwell. She waited, heart racing, trying to hear above the alarm. After a few seconds, she continued upward, two more flights until she reached the main level. A guard ran past the window and she ducked just in time. She heard shouting from the other side, followed by footsteps. Unwilling to risk it, she continued on to the next level.

Slipping into the closest room, she shut the door quietly and waited, trying to quiet her breathing. She traded her knife for the silenced pistol. A minute passed, with no movement outside the door. Another passed, and she finally began to relax. She looked around her surroundings, realizing it was a large medical supply room. Metal shelves rose from floor to the ceiling, stocked with medications, gauze, needles, and endless bins of small medical equipment.

Ellie froze as she saw a shadow flicker behind a shelf near the back wall. She blinked a few times. Slowly, she made her way towards the wall, pistol in hand. Pausing at the last second, she leapt into the space, aiming the gun in front of her.

She was shocked to see Joel behind the shelf, leaning heavily against the wall. He had a gun in one hand, and weakly pointed it in her direction. His hand pressed firmly on the left side of his torso, with blood oozing out through his fingers.

"Oh my God, Joel," she said as she quickly knelt at his side. "What happened?"

His face was ashen, the color beginning to drain from his lips.

"You made it," he said with relief.

"Let me see," she said, removing his hand from his side. It revealed an ugly gunshot wound, with more blood oozing out by the second.

Ellie quickly placed his hand back on the wound. "Keep pressure on it," she said. "I'll find something to stop the bleeding."

"No, I'll be fine," he said, sitting up with difficulty. "We have to get out of here. They're going to search this floor any minute."

"What do we do?" she asked. "They have the main floor on lock down. There's too many of them."

"We make a rope. We can climb out the window." He motioned over to a stack of clean bedding. "You know how to tie a binding knot?"

She nodded. "Wait here."

The window was about twenty feet from the ground, with four bedsheets tied together giving them plenty of length. Ellie wrapped one end around a heavy shelf and tossed the other end out the window.

"You go first," she said to Joel. With her help, he managed to climb onto the makeshift rope and slid to the ground.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ellie jumped the last few feet onto the ground below. She stood quickly behind Joel.

"C'mon," she said, taking his arm.

"Ellie." He didn't budge. She followed his gaze to the three people standing twenty feet in front of them.

Marlene had a gun pointed at Joel. One of her guards had a small child grasped firmly in one hand and his own pistol pointed at the child's head. Ellie recognized him instantly. It was the little boy from the cage. Behind them, prisoners poured out from the entrance to the building, running in all directions. The other guards followed close behind, chasing them down.

"Clever girl," Marlene said with a smile. "It's too bad we couldn't have worked together sooner. Come with me and I'll let him live." She motioned to Joel.  
Ellie looked a Joel. He shook his head.

"She's lying."

Marlene fired a shot that landed inches in front of Joel. "I assure you that the alternative ends in certain death for you."

Ellie ran through her options. There was no way out of this. But she know that if she didn't do what Marlene wanted, Joel would die in front of her. She began to raise her hands over her head.

"Ellie, don't." Joel said with as much strength as he could muster. He was bent over in pain.

Marlene walked towards her. Suddenly, a bullet whizzed by and struck the guard in the chest. He grunted in surprise before falling forward, still holding onto the boy.

Marlene looked around quickly. There was no one in their vicinity with a gun except for the guards trying to round up the prisoners. She quickly changed course and grabbed the boy.

She placed the boy in front of her, in the direction that the bullet came from.

Ellie lowered her hands to help Joel stand upright, shielding him with her body.

"I know what you're thinking," said Marlene. "I won't shoot you, but this one's of no use to me." She redirected her pistol at the boy's head. "Are you willing to let him die?"

The boy looked at Ellie with the same scared eyes from the cage.

Ellie hesitated. Joel's grip weakened around her waist. She had to make a decision.

Slowly, with her arm facing away from Marlene, she reached behind her back to grab the pistol tucked at her waist. After having a solid grip, she drew the weapon as fast as she cold and fired in Marlene's direction.

Reacting only a split second later, Marlene pulled the trigger of her own gun. Ellie's bullet plunged into her chest as the sound of the second gunshot reverberated in the air. The boy jerked to his left and fell to the ground with Marlene.

A noisy pickup truck gunned its engine as it approached at break-neck speed behind them. Ellie tore her eyes away from what was left of the boy's head. She forced herself to focus on the car horn beeping.

Bill sat behind the driver's seat. He was yelling something but she couldn't hear. She turned back to the body. The boy's brains were splattered all over the ground.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Ellie!"

Gunfire surrounded them as Marlene's guards began aiming at the pickup truck.

"We have to get the hell out of here, now!"

She snapped her head up. Bill's face was inches from hers. She was faintly aware of Joel, who was barely conscious on the ground next to her.

Another bullet whizzed by them, creating a spark as it hit the truck.

"Help me get him in the back."

She grabbed one of Joel's arms as Bill lifted the other, and they dragged him towards the back. With effort, they heaved him onto the metal truck bed.

"Hang on," Bill said as he ran back towards the driver's seat.

Ellie jumped into the back of the truck. She ducked as a dozen bullets bombarded them from the direction of the hospital.

Bill pressed the accelerator pedal to the floor as they backed away from the gunfire. When they were barely out of range, he whipped the truck around and sped towards the highway.

"How is he?" he yelled over the noise of the road.

Ellie's hands pressed firmly on Joel's wound. She shook her head. "I don't know. He's shot. We need to get the bullet out."

"Hang on," said Bill. "We'll be there soon. I'm going as fast as I can."

. . .

They sped to Lincoln at top speed. Bill slammed on the brakes in front of the diner and quickly helped Ellie carry Joel inside. They swept the contents off the nearest table to lay him down.

Peanut Butter, who waited just inside the door to greet them, whimpered at the sight of Joel.

"Get his shirt off," Bill ordered as he hurried up the stairs. "I'll be right back."

Ellie opened her switchblade and began to cut into Joel's shirt.

Bill returned as she made the last cut. She carefully spread the bloody fabric away from Joel's body. The wound was still oozing blood. Joel didn't make a sound.

"Have you done this before?" Ellie asked as Bill unraveled a medical kit with surgical equipment.

"A couple of times," he replied, studying the wound. He quickly doused his hands with sanitizer and opened a bottle of vodka. He looked down at Joel.

"Sorry pal," he said as he poured the liquid onto the wound. Joel grunted in pain.

Bill grabbed a pair of forceps and pulled back the torn skin, exposing more of the wound. With another instrument, he slowly entered the wound, exploring for the bullet. Joel flinched again in pain.

"Hold him down," Bill said to Ellie. She complied, looked between him and Joel.

"Can you see it?" Ellie asked.

Bill shook his head. "There's a bunch of…scar tissue. Everything's stuck together. What the hell happened to him?"

"He fell onto a piece of rebar," Ellie replied, surprising both herself and Bill with the knowledge. "A long time ago."

Bill continued to explore inside the wound. "Well that piece of rebar might have just saved his life." Slowly, he pulled out the flattened bullet. "Cause the scar tissue stopped this thing before it tore through an artery."

Throwing the forceps down, Bill moved quickly to open a packet labeled "Quick Clot" and stuffed its contents into the wound. The bleeding eventually stopped, allowing him to sew the edges of the wound together.

Ellie stared at Joel. His complexion was completely ashen, with a blue tinge in his lips.

"What do we do now?" She asked Bill.

He dug into his medical bag for a few bottles of antibiotics and painkillers. "Now we grind these pills down and make him swallow them. Then we wait."

"For how long?"

Bill shook his head. "He lost a lot of blood."

Ellie looked between him and Joel. "He's strong. He'll make it."

Bill met her gaze. "I hope so."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

She broke out of her trance at the sound of footsteps outside the door. Peanut Butter rose from the ground next to her and padded to the door. His tail began to wag as the doorknob turned and Bill emerged, appearing exhausted from his travels. He absently gave PB a pat on the head before letting the man standing behind him into the room.

"Ellie, this is Garrett. He's a doctor from Springfield."

"Oncologist," the man corrected, looking nervously around the room.

Ellie quickly stood from beside Joel's still body. "He's lost a lot of blood. What should we do?"

The doctor knelt beside Joel and felt for his pulse. His brows furrowed at the slow and weak heartbeat.

Bill brought in a cooler from the hallway, the condensation from the melting ice inside still visible on the white plastic.

"So how do we set this up?" Bill asked.

Garrett shook his head. "Darryl is going to lose his mind when he finds out that much O negative is missing. He's going to kill me."

"Darryl won't know that it's you," said Bill, keeping his voice even. "Remember why you're doing this. To escape his camp. I can help you if you help us."

Ellie watched as Bill covertly reached for the pistol at his back. Garrett fretted over his choice. Bill relaxed his grip when Garrett finally said, "Okay, I'll help. I need the blood and the IV kit."

Bill handed him the necessary instruments and began to clean the injection site on Joel's arm.

Garrett looked at him as he sanitized his hands. "You've had some medical training?" He asked.

"I used to be a medic in the army," Bill replied, tying the tourniquet around Joel's arm.

Garrett assembled the needle and catheter, then searched for the vein he wanted. He inserted the needle and taped the catheter to Joel's arm. Ellie held the blood bag vertically as he connected it to the IV. They watched as the blood slowly began to enter Joel's body.

"How long does this take?" Ellie asked.

"About two hours a bag. We brought three bags. From the looks of him, he'll need all three."

Garrett looked at Bill. "I'll stay until we're sure he won't have any reactions, but we have to get going soon. Darryl is going to find out I'm gone as soon as he wakes up.

Ellie looked outside. The first signs of blue light signaled dawn approaching quickly.

"We'll show you how to change out the bags. You think you can handle that?" Bill asked her.

Ellie nodded. "Where are you taking him?"

"South," Bill replied. "I should be back tonight."

"Bill, you haven't slept in like two days."

"I made Garrett a promise," he replied. "I'll be back tonight."

Ellie conceded. Peanut Butter whined, sensing Bill's departure.

Bill leaned down and rubbed him behind the ears. "You take care of them, okay?"

Peanut Butter licked his hand. Bill and Garrett left as quickly as they appeared. Ellie, still holding the blood bag, looked down at PB. "Guess it's just us again for a while, huh?"

Peanut Butter raised his eyebrows at her, then lay down next to Joel to resume his role as body guard.

. . .

"Your move."

Ellie snapped her head up from the chess board she had been pretending to study.

"It's been your move for the last five minutes," Bill said from across the table.

"Sorry," she said, and nudged her rook forward three spaces.

"Check mate," Bill sighed as he moved his queen to an obvious position on the board. He pushed the board to the side. "You know, chess is a hell of a lot more interesting if your opponent actually tries."

"Sorry," Ellie said again, now staring out the nearest window. It was dusk outside, with shadows elongating against the setting sun.

Bill folded his arms. He waited for her to look up at him.

"What?" She asked.

"He's not gonna get any better with you moping around like a ghost."

Ellie instinctively looked over at the stairs that led up to Joel's room. It had been five days since they escaped Boston. Joel was still unconscious.

"It's my fault he was there," she said. "My fault that he got hurt."

"He's a grown ass man," said Bill. "He knew what he was getting into."

Ellie became silent. After a few seconds, she looked up at Bill.

"Tell me about Tess."

"What?" Bill asked. "Where did that come from?"

"You said she died because of me."

"I don't know the details. I heard it second hand."

"She was helping Joel take me to Marlene?" Ellie asked.

Bill gave a small nod.

"You said she was the most important person in Joel's life."

Bill sighed. "They were partners."

"She died because of me."

"Look, kid—"

"No," Ellie shook her head. "It's true. Anyone that ever comes close to me, anyone that I ever care about, dies. All of them. Always."

Bill studied her from across the table. "So do something about it."

"What?" Ellie asked in confusion.

"You're immune. The answer to the cure could be in your blood. Find the scientists that are working on this. Find a cure without harming people."  
Ellie stared at him. A few seconds later, they heard a bark from Joel's room upstairs. Peanut Butter had become their alarm system for any new developments.

They stood at the same time, and both hurried up the stairs.

. . .

Joel's eyes slowly opened and shut, fighting against the disorientation.

Ellie took his hand in hers. "Joel," she said softly.

He opened them again, trying to focus on her face.

"Hey," he said roughly, dry swallowing the little amount of saliva in his mouth. "You're okay."

Ellie nodded. "You will be, too."

Joel shifted his attention to Bill. "Thanks. For coming back for us."

Bill studied his friend. "Against my better judgment."

Joel smiled up at him. "I guess I owe you more than one now."

"You're damn right," said Bill. He bent down to check Joel's pulse. Satisfied with the result, he stood and motioned for Peanut Butter to follow him.

"Make sure he doesn't overdo it," he said to Ellie on his way out.

Ellie nodded, then turned her attention back to Joel. "That's the second time you've almost died on me," she said.

His eyes widened. "You remember."

"Bits and pieces," she replied. "I'm not sure if I'll ever get it all back, but the more I'm around you, the more it triggers these flashes of memories.

Joel nodded weakly. He tried to move, but grimaced at the pain at his side.

"Take it easy," said Ellie. "You don't want the stitches to tear."

"So what's next?" Joel asked.

"Next?" said Ellie. "How about you get better first, then we'll decide."

"We?" he repeated.

"Considering how often we come so close to death but still always manage to escape, don't you think we should stick together? We're like weird good luck anti-death magnets or something."

"I'd like that," said Joel with a smile. "I think you're on to something there."


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Joel lifted the last duffel bag into the back of the pickup truck with a grunt of pain and shut the tailgate.

"Still hurts?" Ellie asked, stashing the last of the weapons into the truck.

"Feeling better every day," Joel replied. "You about ready?"

She nodded. She turned to face the diner. It was hard to believe they had stayed there for the past month.

"Should we go say goodbye to Bill?" She asked.

"I'm right here," they heard Bill's voice approaching from another direction. He shouldered a large backpack and a heavy duffel bag in each hand. Peanut Butter stood at his side.

"Was wondering if you'll give me a lift," he said.

"Where to?" said Joel.

Bill shrugged. "Anywhere but here. It's time for a change."

Joel looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure?"

Bill nodded, looking around the town that he had lived in for the past two decades. "It's just a matter of time before the fighting in Boston spills out into this area. I don't want to be here when the Hunters or Fireflies take over the town."

"We're going out west," said Ellie, "to California, maybe. The group I was with before heard news about some scientists trying to find the cure the right way. You know, without murdering people. You could come with us."

It was Bill's turn to be surprised. "That's…kind of you to offer, but PB and I don't do that well around a lot of people. I was thinking of getting back to where I grew up, a small town on the border between Tennessee and Georgia."

"We'll drop you off. I'm sure we'll run into each other again," said Joel.

Bill laughed at his words. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a curse."

Ellie smiled back at him. "We'll see, won't we?"


End file.
